Oh, my God.

 Today at work I received a phone call from a Northwestern College mother who was upset with our literature curriculum because it included Death of a Salesman--a wonderful classic text that she only recognized as something that takes the Lord's name in vain.
"I want to know who designs the curriculum and how you would ever decide to include that text in it at a Christian school," she said, plainly.
"Oh, okay.  ...Thank you.  We really appreciate your input!" I "cheerfully" replied. 

Ooh, did I have words for that woman.  Given the fact that my job was on the line, I didn't say anything.  But if I could have, it would have been an incoherent rant that is stored in a special part of my soul for all the helicopter mothers of the world.

Well it is obvious to me that you don't know a single thing about literature, to begin with.  Should all of literature portray happy Christian people running around serving the Lord?  Because that isn't even what is in the Bible.  Since I'm sure that that's one of the only books you read, I would like to remind you that that has rape and incest in it, so I suppose we shouldn't read half of Genesis, no?   Literature portrays the real world, and God's goodness through it.  That's what the Bible is doing, and that is what literature does, but you're too blinded by your attempts to protect your 22 year old's precious innocence to realize the BEAUTY of "Death of a Salesman."  I suppose you think.... 

And so on.

Of course I would never really say that to a mother.

But I would blog about it.

If you are interested in reading the very very very long reply from one of the English program's coordinators to the mother, keep reading below.  She worded a Christian worldview of classic literature beautifully.  I hope I will be able to have this much tact when dealing with people who tell me Redeeming Love is their favorite novel.

"Thanks for your inquiry regarding our selection of literature for Northwestern College’s Introduction to Literature course.  I appreciate your concerns and want to address them based upon my own principles and Department of English & Literature policy.  I am the Director of Undergraduate Online Learning and a long-time English professor.  In Death of a Salesman, the main character, Willy Loman, does use the name of the Lord in vain, and there are immoral actions referred to (i.e. Willy's adultery).  I do not condone these actions.  However, my question to you would be this:  Does the presence of some profanity and/or references to immoral behavior in the play render the play unworthy to be read--devoid of any truth, beauty or value? 

As a Christian educator representing a Christian institution, the professors in the English Department have put great thought and consideration into the literature used for this class (incidentally, these same pieces of literature are used in the day school and adult ed. venues).  Instead of  rejecting the play based on the reference to immoral conduct and use of profanity by an emotionally broken character, I see the play as illuminating the theme of our (human's) need for Christ.  Willy and his sons, by chasing wealth, status and power, have found none of those things satisfying, and their lives are empty and full of despair.  Rather than emulating their actions or words, the author has shown how not to act or speak.  The realistic actions and words all support Arthur Miller's brilliant character development, and we, as readers, see the hopelessness of Willy's situation:  without Christ, he is nothing, has nothing, and death seems to be the only answer.  "Oh, that he would turn to Jesus!" should be our collective cry, as we know the freedom and joy which comes only from knowing Christ. 

In our Guided Reading Assignment for this play, students are asked to think about ways in which Willy's actions are directly responsible for his (and his sons') failure/undoing.  As Christians, we have a unique opportunity to filter everything we read and see through a Christian lens, thinking critically about the choices the characters' make.  According to Gene Edward Veith, author of Reading Between the Lines:  A Christian Guide to Literature, "More than simply informing us about good and evil--which most of us already know--literature can motivate us to pursue the good and to reject the evil" (p.61).  Certainly, Death of a Salesman motives me to "pursue the good";  also, we should keep in mind that we aren't "contaminated" by a viewpoint we disagree with.  We are in a college level course and can read literature containing different viewpoints and world views without succumbing to the unbelief/views that may be represented therein.  What's more, this literature may actually help us better understand views other than our own, sharpening our ability to witness to the truth of Jesus Christ in an empathetic way.

Ultimately, though, this course is not a Christian literature course;  it is a course taught by a Christian educator representing a Christian school.  It is a college survey course, offering a wide array of quality literature that we are then discussing, analyzing, and responding to in a variety of forms (discussion, guided reading assignments, creative application projects, etc.).  As Christian English professors, our job is not to offer literature that has no objectionable elements but to thoughtfully provide high-quality literature that students may then discuss and respond to in a variety of meaningful ways so as to encourage you to become a more culturally literate individual. 

Certainly, our English professors do not approve of using the Lord's name in vain, nor with swearing or immoral conduct.  But if the use of profanity or any reference at all to anything that is less than moral are my indicators for choosing literature, we would also have to leave out every single play of Shakespeare, Homer's The Odyssey, Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (because of its inclusion of sorcery/witchcraft), Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (language and reference to an immoral act), and the list goes on and on.  Indeed, I was just reading 2 Samuel 13:1-22.  It dealt with incest and rape.  I believe references to immoral behavior or profanity within a work (or the Bible) do not necessarily strip a work of its merit or worth.   

As outlined in Northwestern's Reacting to Reading policy printed on the syllabus for this course, we should first make an effort to see what the author is saying.  Is Arthur Miller gratuitously using dialogue to defame the person of Christ or to realistically develop his characters and show their hopelessness?  I believe it is the latter, and as a Christian, I can take that one step further and say that the work, whether intended or not, demonstrates humanity's utter hopelessness without Christ. 

Secondly, the policy directs me to contemplate the author's stance and consider where his stance might be faulty or lacking.  Like you, I disagree with the use of profanity, but I don't believe Miller put it in his play just "for fun."  Rather, I believe he was trying to represent Biff, Happy and Willy Loman in a realistic light, and the way in which they speak is part of that character development.  I believe the use of those specific words speak to the characters' degradation and point me toward reality of their need for Jesus.

Ultimately, I believe that there is hope to be found within this play:  as Biff escapes from his father's oppressive and empty dreams of power and status, he realizes who he is and that working with his hands on some ranch isn't something to be embarrassed by.  Linda is free from the oppressiveness of worrying about a husband who is so desperate as to be always striving for the wrong things.  And I, as a Christian reader, have the hope of knowing Christ and being motivated to win more souls for Christ so that they don't end up like pathetic Willy Loman.

Finally, I believe this play has significant merit, and it is the policy of the English Department not to offer an alternative assignment (because students may find reason to object to nearly any text provided as an alternative).  Course curriculum requires reading the play and expressing views on the Course Discussion Forum and on the GRA. If students choose not to read the text or complete the GRA, the incomplete will be considered a zero. My hope is that your student will read the text and find in it the truth and beauty that I and many other Christian professors have found.  Our professors often experience thoughtful, intelligent discussions on the themes and content of the play. Exposing students to this play provides them with a safe, guided context in which to discuss the themes."